My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

 Here she talks to author Jenny Pearson about her latest book, The Incredible Record Smashers, which made The Times’ Book of the Week and:

1. Her latest success, her passion for writing and where she gets her inspiration from
2. Tackling big issues such as loss and depression
3. What our young people today need post-COVID
4. Her varied career path and balancing teaching with writing
5. Her recent work with Children’s Cancer North and the poem she co-created about the ringing of the bell to mark the end of cancer treatment
6. The book she’s reading at the moment and whether she recommends it

If you would like to keep up to date with Jenny’s news, follow her Facebook page which is Jenny Pearson Author or find her on Twitter @J_C_Pearson.

Got a story you’d like to share? If you or anyone you know might make an interesting guest, please do drop me a line at [email protected]. Thanks a lot.

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she speaks to Eileen Jones from Cumbria PR, who has just published a wonderful paperback called ‘How parkrun changed our lives’ about:

• What inspired Eileen to write a book about parkrun
• How she organised a book launch which, despite COVID-19, saw 104 relay runners carry a book via a parkrun all the way from the Lake District to London, where the book was handed to the original founder of parkrun in Bushy Park
• Why parkrun resonates so much with people
• What makes an impactful marketing event with the means to grow
• About Ambleside and Cumbria where Eileen lives and more.

If you’d like to pick up a copy of ‘How parkrun changed our lives’ by Eileen Jones, you can get that here. You can also keep up to date with the story and Eileen’s news on Twitter via @CumbriaPR. 

If you or anyone you know might make an interesting guest, please do drop me a line at [email protected].

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she speaks to Louise Hunter MBE, who is the director of corporate affairs for Northumbrian Water Group, about:

1. How Northumbrian Water has kept operations going since the start of the pandemic.
2. Northumbrian Water’s Innovation Festival and the tangible outcomes this has achieved so far.
3. What Louise believes would create transformational change for the north following COVID-19 and Brexit.
4. The Laptop for Kids appeal.
5. Pandemic parenting, mental health and much more.

If you’d like to keep up to date with Louise, you can connect with her on Twitter @HunterLouise or drop her a request on LinkedIn.

If you’d like to take part in My Friends in the North, please send an email to [email protected]. Stay safe and see you next time.   

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she talks to Lucy Winskell OBE, the new chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Employability and Partnerships at Northumbria University, about:

1. Lucy’s priorities at the North East LEP at a crucial time for the regional economy.
2. How partnership working is mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and Brexit on the region - and the region’s ask of Government.
3. Lucy’s role at Northumbria University and how the pandemic has disrupted higher education.
4. Mid-life career changes.
5. Lockdown and mental health.
6. Top tips for local walks, theatre and a good book to read.

If you’d like to keep up to date with Lucy, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.

We’re on the hunt for new and interesting guests for 2021, so if you’d like to get invoved or put someone forward, please email [email protected]. See you next time.

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she talks to Helen Dalby, editor-in-chief for Reach plc in the North East about:  

1. Her career to date and the purpose of journalism.
2. The erosion of trust in UK news and hyperlocal as a solution.
3. Misinformation, Government leaks and a digital-first approach.
4. Helen’s Geordie heritage, the qualities she has inherited from her grandfather, Swan Hunter and regional pride.
5. The Sunshine Fund, which funds equipment for children with disabilities. Find out more at thesunshinefund.org.
6. How Helen switches off, relaxes and manages her mental health.

You can stay up to date with Helen by following @helendalby on Twitter.

If you’d like to be involved in an episode of My Friends in the North, please do drop me a line at [email protected]. See you next time.

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she chats to Stephen Bell OBE, chief executive of Changing Lives, about:

• Changing Lives and its charitable purpose
• The Theory of Change as a way to transform people’s opportunities, resources and help them achieve independence
• The new ‘lost generation’ of young people failed by the system
• The impact of confused Government messaging on mental health
• The benefits of having a business coach

To keep up to date with the latest developments at the charity, please follow @ChangingLives_ on Twitter or visit www.changing-lives.org.uk.

New voices and stories are always welcome on My Friends in the North so if you or a client would like to be involved, please write to me at [email protected].

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she chats to the founder of Northern Power Women, Simone Roche MBE, about:

• Northern Power Women and its goals
• Creating a community of female leaders across the North
• The findings of a new Levelling Up report
• Houseboat life
• Staying optimistic for the future

If you’d like to keep up to date with what Simone’s up to, you can connect with her via @SimoneRoche and @NorthPowerWomen on Twitter. You can also visit www.northernpowerwomen.com.

If you or a client would like to take part in My Friends in the North, please email [email protected]

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she speaks to owner and managing director of Gas Angel Heating, Amy Mooney, about moving from marketing and branding into the gas and heating industry after sixteen years and:

• Helping vulnerable people during the COVID-19 lockdown
• Finding balance where there is a husband-wife working partnership
• Tips for blended families
• Raising a family of boys
• The Government’s messaging around the lockdown and subsequent easing
• Social capital and Gas Angel Heating’s support for Just One Tree

If you’d like to keep up to date with what Amy is doing, you can connect with her on Twitter @Amy1Mooney

We’re always interested in hearing new voices and stories on My Friends in the North so if you or a client would like to be involved, please do drop me a line at [email protected].

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a twenty-minute podcast series from North East entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s leading business and community figures.

Here she talks to Nicky Jolley, the owner-manager of HR2Day, about: 

1. How businesses are managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. The human resources support that businesses are most frequently seeking.
3. Managing the challenges that come with remote working.
4. An increasing trend towards ‘furlough fever’, where some organisations are having to manage employees who don’t want to come back to work.
5. Forward planning for the recovery and upturn.
6. Managing the redundancy process.
7. Top tips for getting some downtime.

If you’d like to connect with Nicky or her business, you can follow @JolleyNicky and @HR2dayltd on Twitter and there is also an HR2Day company page on LinkedIn.

If you or a client have an interesting theme for My Friends In The North, why not get in touch via [email protected]. Until next time, take care and stay safe.

My Friends in the North

My Friends in the North is a podcast from entrepreneur Sarah Waddington in which she interviews some of the North’s most influential organisational and community leaders.

In a one-off series of five interviews, Sarah will be sticking to a single theme and talking to members of the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group about what support is available in the region to help businesses and individuals.

In this final episode she speaks to Rob Hamilton, Interim Head of Investment for the North of Tyne Combined Authority, about:

1. In what ways the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group is looking to the future post-Coronavirus.

1. The rapid strategic scenario planning that is underway and what this means.

1. What the worst and best scenarios look like and what Rob thinks is likely for the North East.

1. The expected impact on the people of the North East of COVID-19.

1. Who the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group is working with to implement the plan for rapid and sustainable recovery.

1. How this work impacts the regional economic strategies that were already in place through the Combined Authorities and North East LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan.

1. How the Group is engaging with Government and other key stakeholders.

1. How Rob switches off and manages his mental health and resilience at this stressful time.

More information is available on the North East COVID-19 Economic Response Group page and via the North East Growth Hub website.

If you’d like to feature on future episodes, contact Sarah Waddington on 07702 162 704 or email [email protected].

Until next time, thank you, keep well and stay home.